the louisiana conservationist mar-apr 1976
DESCRIPTION
The Louisiana Conservationist magazine, published by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, is dedicated to the conservation and restoration of Louisiana’s natural resources.TRANSCRIPT
...comments
In the arena of human life the hon-
ors and rewards fall to those whoshow their good qualities in action.
— Aristotle
The 37th annual convention of the
Louisiana Wildlife Federation will be held
March 12, 13 and 14 at the ChateauSheraton Charles in Lake Charles. Dele-
gates from nearly a hundred sportsmen's
clubs and leagues in all sections of
Louisiana will participate in the three-day
conference that will be highlighted by the
group's annual banquet on March 13.
For the most part, business sessions
will be given over to workshop— commit-
tee meetings dealing with many facets of
wildlife and fisheries management as well
as related activities of an outdoor nature
such as boating, camping, hiking and the
environment.
Traditionally, the persons who attend
the wildlife federation convention are hun-
ters and fishermen affiliated with
sportsmen's groups in their own areas of
the state. Organizational structure of the
clubs and leagues is such that individual
members automatically become mem-bers of the Louisiana Wildlife Federation
— the state affiliate of the National Wildlife
Federation headquartered in
Washington, D.C.
It is my sincere feeling that moresportsmen should become personally in-
volved in the activities of the Louisiana
Wildlife Federation. This is easily ac-
complished by joining an areasportsmen's club or league. Membershipin these groups throughout Louisiana au-
tomatically makes one a member of the
Louisiana Wildlife Federation.
An audit was recently completed onlicense sales for the fiscal year 1974-
1975. It revealed 383,382 licensedfishermen and 343,106 licensed hunters.
These are figures for resident hunters andfishermen. Allowing for the fact there are
many hunters who are also fishermen andconsequently much duplication amonglicensed sportsmen, it remains perfectly
clear that a vast number of sportsmen in
the state are not members of organized
hunting and fishing clubs. It is also appa-rent a great many hunters and fishermen
are not members of the Louisiana Wildlife
Federation.
It is my personal feeling there are manypersons who are not fully aware of the
structure of the Louisiana Wildlife Federa-
tion. The federation is a non-political,
non-profit group of civic minded men and
women interested in the basic principles
which underlie constructive conservation.
It was organized on October 27, 1940, by
bringing together local sportsmen's clubs
and wildlife associations from all over the
state. There is at least one club in each of
the 64 parishes. In many cases there is
more than one club. Additionally, busi-
ness firms are associate members andsupport the federation because they want
to see its many programs accomplish as
much as possible.
The Louisiana Wildlife Federation is not
a federal or state agency, but is a citizens'
organization, privately operated and fi-
nanced. It is a state affiliate of the National
Wildlife Federation in Washington andthere are state affiliates in all 50 states.
The organizational structure of the na-
tional federation is identical with those in
the states. It is not a federal agency but
could properly be called a watchdog over
other federal and national organizations
dealing in matters related to conservation.
For those who might be wonderingabout the purpose of the LouisianaWildlife Federation, it was formed to coor-
dinate the efforts and hopes of the great
army of outdoor enthusiasts — to correct
abuses in the use of our soil, water, forest,
wildlife and fisheries — to bring about the
wise use of our natural resources — andto serve as spokesman for the people in
conservation matters.
What I have been leading up to is the
fact that the federation needs your sup-
port. It is basic logic that the more peoplewho belong to the Louisiana Wildlife Fed-eration, the more influence it will have in
advocating sound and worthy projects. In
conservation matters, too often am I re-
minded of the expression "let George doit." It is far too easy to let someone else dothe work. In spite of its excellent record,
one that has won three DistinguishedService Awards for ConservationAchievement from the National Wildlife
Federation, the state federation would beable to accomplish much more if it had alarger membership.The Louisiana Wildlife Federation
needs the support of more Louisiana
sportsmen because it has a broad prog-
ram of activity. Some of its many objec-
tives readily indicate how broad its scopeof activities is.
The Louisiana Wildlife Federation al-
ways seeks to improve our conservation
laws and the enforcement of them. It has along standing program to foster better re-
lations between landowners andsportsmen. It actively supports all prog-
rams that are aimed at improving stan-
dards of sportsmanship. It advocates andseeks federal and state assistance in
conservation projects, both statewide andlocal. One important function is to inform
Louisianians of pending state and na-
tional legislation beneficial to soil, water,
forestry, outdoor recreation, motor boat-
ing, fish and game. At the same time, the
federation stands prepared to quickly
warn sportsmen and conservationists of
any national legislation that would be de-
trimental to the best interests of wildlife
and fisheries resources, and to the tens of
thousands of individuals in Louisiana whoutilize those resources.
Throughout the years of its existence,
the Louisiana Wildlife Federation initially
fought for creation of the present Wildlife
and Fisheries Commission. On two occa-
sions it threw its weight against efforts to
do away with the commission type of
management that has proved so satisfac-
tory, not only in Louisiana but in mostother states.
In conclusion, I strongly urge all menand women who are interested in Louisia-
na's wildlife and fisheries resources andits abundant natural resources to becomeaffiliated with the Louisiana Wildlife Fed-eration. Information can be obtained byaddressing a note or card to Louisiana
Wildlife Federation, Inc., Box 16089L.S.U., Baton Rouge, La. 70803.
LOUISIANA@®DD©®[7WaGD®DDD©G
Published bi-monthly by the Louisiana WildLife and Fisheries Co i the interest of conservation of Loui:
EDWIN W. EDWARDS, Governor
LOUISIANA WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES COMMISSION
DOYLE G. BERRY, Chairman, Berwick
HARVEY CLAY LUTTRELL, Vice Chairman, Buckeye
MARC DUPUY, JR., Marksville
JERRY G. JONES, Cameron
JEAN LAPEYRE, Houma
JIMMIE THOMPSON, Alexandria
DONALD WILLE, Bossier City
J. BURTON ANGELLE, Director
R. K. YANCEY, Assistant Director
L. S. ST. AMANT, Assistant Director
HURLEY L. CAMPBELL, Executive Assistant
MARIAN "PIE" PENDLEY, Executive Assistant
DIVISION CHIEFS
ALLAN ENSMINGER. Refuge
JOEL. HERRING, Game
WILLIAM J. GILLESPIE, Enforcement
ROBERT LaFLEUR, Water Pollution Control
TEDO'NEIL, Fur
HARRY SCHAFER, Water Bottoms & Seafood
KENNETH C. SMITH, Fish
BOB DENNIE, Information Officer and Editor
McFADDEN DUFFY, Staff Writer
BILL WINN, Staff Writer
FRANK DAVIS, Staff Writer
CLANY SOILEAU, Staff Writer
LLOYD POISSENOT, Staff Photographer
Front Cover by Lloyd Poissenot
Back Cover: "Bald Eagle" by Richard Sloan of Shreveport.
Limited edition signed and serial numbered. 500 in original
size at 36" x 46" available at $500 each; 4,350 in 22" x 28"
available starting at $50 each. Scheduled for release March15. Advanced orders being accepted by Nature House, Inc.,
Griggsville. IL 62340.
/ give my pledge as an American tosave and faithfully to defend
from waste the naturalresources of my country—its soil
and minerals, its forest, watersand wildlife.
IN THIS ISSUE
THE BALD EAGLE 4In this bicentennial special report, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commis-
sion takes an in-depth look at the fierce, stately symbol of the United States and
the nesting eagles of Louisiana. By McFadden Duffy
THE ONES THAT DIDN'T GET AWAY 8The current listing of species, weights, and anglers that make up the 1976 "Top
Ten" Louisiana Fish Records. By Dan Hardesty
SEARCHING FOR SAC-A-LAIT! 10Whether you call him crappie, calico bass, white perch, or sac-a-lait, this fish has
long been a favorite of Louisiana freshwater anglers. This story tells you just howto catch them. By Frank Davis
THE WILD TURKEY 14Another in a series of original paintings done by noted Louisiana wildlife artist
Murrell Butler.
MARSH BASS BONANZA — A Prelude To Spring 18It is at this time every year that anglers temporarily forsake the quest for "lunkers"
and seek out the fast-paced action of bass fishing on marshes. And the practice is
becoming more and more popular each spring. By McFadden Duffy
THEY BAND DUCKS IN WINTER 22A photostory about ducks, and winter, and "banding" practices . . . all because
waterfowl managers want more waterfowl in Louisiana. By Uoyd Poissenot
OF TIME AND THE RIVER 24What's the Atchafalaya going to do in the next 25 years? How is the river going to
affect the ecosystem of the Bayou State? You will be fascinated by what will be at
the "arch" of Louisiana in the year 2,000! By McFadden Duffy
LET'S TALK TURKEY! 26This article up-dates the entire progress story the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries
Commission has written about the "wild turkey." The beginning chapter took
place in 1960 . . . the last chapter is nowhere in sight! By McFadden Duffy
PIE'S POTPOURRI 30A selection of the most taste-tempting seafood dishes ever contrived by a
gourmet cook are in this issue. By Pie Pendley
THE FRESHWATER DRUM 31More commonly referred to as "gaspergou," the fish is found throughout
Louisiana and uniquely is the only freshwater member of the drum family.
Louisiana Conservationist Magazine
Volume 28, Numbers 3 & 4
400 Royal Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
Subscription Free to Louisiana Residents Upon Written Request.Allow Minimum of Three Months for Receipt of First Magazine.
Permission to reprint material in this publication will be granted provided that it
is not used for advertising or commercial purposes and provided that proper credit
is given Contributions and photographs are welcome, but LOUISIANA CONSER-VATIONIST cannot be responsible for loss or damage to unsolicited material.
Manuscripts should be addressed to Editor, LOUISIANA CONSERVATIONIST.WildLife and Fisheries Commission. Form 3579 to be sent to LOUISIANA WILD-LIFE AND FISHERIES COMMISSION, 400 Royal St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70130.Second-Class Postage Paid at New Orleans, Louisiana.
By McFadden Duffy
The bald eagle, a stately, powerful,
fierce, sharp-eyed bird, is the paradoxical
symbol of the United States. Most Ameri-
cans see it daily on coins and currency. It
appears on the official seal of the United
States, clutching 13 arrows in one clawwhich represent the 13 original colonies
and an olive branch in the other. Its talons
denote strength in peace and war. It car-
ries a streamer with the words E Pluribus
Unum (Out of many, one.). Persons see it
daily on posters and displays of a patriotic
nature. People who can tell the denomina-tion of currency at a glance can't re-
member offhand if a particular paper bill
carries the national symbol. The same is
true of coins. And, ironically, most indi-
viduals who can tell what appears on the
national emblem often have never seen a
real bald eagle.
Because Americans are turning backthe pages of history and delving into all
facets pertaining to the bicentennial
celebration of independence they are in-
creasingly interested in the American bald
eagle and how it became a national sym-bol. They want to know the population
status of a bird that for 200 years has been
regarded with mixed feelings across a na-
tion. Some have been filled with pride at
its regal aura. Others have considered it a
renegade and treated it like an outlaw.
Bounty hunters slaughtered bald eagles
for profit for years.
State and federal laws have caused the
pendulum to swing back in the other direc-
tion during the last quarter-century. It nowappears that the future of the bald eagle
will be brighter. Its populations should in-
crease in the years ahead. Public interest
and concern, spurred by the bicentennial
celebration year, will do a great deal to
hasten the day when Americans of a gen-
eration yet to be born will know what the
nation's official bird looks like— not from
folding money or a pocketful of change or
a patriotic poster.
The bald eagle has been a controver-
sial bird for more than two centuries.
When Benjamin Franklin, John Adams,
and Thomas Jefferson were named to a
committee to choose a seal by the Conti-
nental Congress, perhaps the first na-
tional disagreement over the qualities of
the bald eagle emerged. Franklin wanted
the wild turkey to stand as a symbol of
America. He deemed the bald eagle a bird
of dubious diet and character. He wasoutvoted by Adams and Jefferson whoconsidered the eagle a bird that sym-
bolizes "a free spirit, high soaring and
courageous."
General George Washington, who had
a flair for making official documents look
even more official, was the first to use the
new eagle seal. He affixed it to an order
arranging exchange of war prisoners with
Great Britain. After that the emblem ap-
peared on proclamations, ratifications of
treaties, and other official documentssigned by the President. It is not only on
currency and coins, but also adorns un-
iform buttons, federal statuary, and a host
of other items.
To better understand BenjaminFranklin's disdain for the bald eagle it
might be good to take a look at some of the
characteristics of the bird, ones that con-
tributed greajly to its downward plunge in
numbers. Wjlh the single exception of the
California condor, it is the largest bird of
prey in North America. With a hooked,
gold-yellow beak, used for tearing flesh,
and its long curved talons, which grip and
kill prey, the strength of the bald eagle is
impressive.
The bird that is the national symbol is
native only to North America. A few strays
wander into extreme eastern Siberia, but
the bird is as American as apple pie top-
ped with ice cream. When seen in flight,
the American eagle is a thrilling sight. With
its gleaming white head thrust forward
and its wings outstretched and steady, it
can cruise slowly on a level course for a
ONCE NUMBERING HUNDREDS OFTHOUSANDS, THE AMERICAN BALDEAGLE IS NOW ON THEENDANGERED SPECIES LIST. FEWAMERICANS HAVE EVER SEEN THEFIERCE, MAJESTIC BIRD THAT IS THESYMBOL OF THE UNITED STATES. IN
THIS BICENTENNIAL YEAR THERE IS
A SURGE OF INTEREST IN THESTATUS OF AMERICA'S OFFICIALBIRD AND EFFORTS THAT ARE BEINGMADE TO REBUILD ITS DWINDLEDPOPULATIONS.
remarkable time, or soar in wide circles
high in the sky. Its vision is amazing. It can
see for three miles. When an eagle sights
prey, it dives with terrific speed— often 60
miles an hour — and then levels off,
brakes, and snatches its prey in powerful
talons.
Many persons will dispute this but fish
comprise 65 to 90 percent of a bald
eagle's diet. It also eats waterfowl, sea-
birds, grebes, loons, herons, small ro-
dents, crows, rats, crabs and carrion. In
Alaska and Canada, where bald eagles
are most plentiful, salmon and herring
comprise the bulk of an eagle's food. It is
true that a few fish are taken on their wayto upstream spawning areas, but most are
captured, dead or dying, after spawning.
Bald eagles do not destroy many valu-
able animals. The accusations against the
birds nesting around muskrat marches, or
near lairs of other furbearers are usually
unfounded; the animals attacked areoften sick, making the bald eagle's role animportant one in preventing the spread of
disease.
There are many times when the Ameri-
can eagle allows the smaller osprey to
gather its groceries. When the ospreycatches a fish, its larger and smartercousin swoops down on it, flustering it
until it drops its prey, which then belongsto the eagle. It certainly does not meanthat the eagle cannot capture its own food.
It's easier to pick it up after the ospreydrops it. Sometimes this is done in the air
before the potential meal falls to theground, or the surface of a body of water.
The great eagle's fierce appearanceand grand power of flight give manypeople false ideas about its feedinghabits. This is passed along by word of
mouth and the eagle is still branded as anaggressive marauder that swoops downfrom the sky to capture pets, poultry,
lambs, and even small children. This is afirm belief that has prevailed over manyyears. In reality, the eagle weighs fromabout 1 to 14 pounds and can not possi-
bly carry its own weight in flight.
Unfortunately, the bird's great abun-dance in Alaska incurred the anger of foxfarmers. They claimed their animals werebeing attacked. Commercial fishermenalso complained that too many migratingfish were being killed before they couldspawn. The result in Alaska was a bountyon bald eagles from 1917 to 1952, whichcontinued 1 2 years after the United Statespassed protective legislation. During this
period the Alaska legislature paid morethan $100,000 in bounty payments for
more than 100,000 bald eagles. In 1959.Alaska finally came under federal law.
Today, it is the only state in which the birds
are plentiful.
The legends of marauding attacks bybald eagles can be found throughout the
country. For generations legends werefanned into raging fires of vengeance byexaggeration and distortion. Sheep her-
ders and cattlemen killed the eagles andpaid others to kill them. Certainly vast
numbers of bald eagles have been wan-tonly slain. The tragic thing is that most of
the persons who did the killing or paid to
have it done were not aware that the bird
in question was the national symbol of the
United States. Perhaps most ironic in anyreport on the bald eagle is the fact that the
currency or coin paid bounty hunters con-tained the image of the eagle clutching the
symbolic arrows and olive branch. Thebirds were killed hastily and the moneypocketed just as hastily. There was little
concern how the mints decorated money.Protective legislation was enacted in
1 940 which made it unlawful to take, pos-sess, sell, purchase, barter, transport, ex-port or import, or shoot any bald eagles.The eagle populations were on a
downward spiral by the time protection
was afforded in the contiguous states. Anextensive survey conducted in 1966showed only approximately 600 breedingpairs. This was only half the number of
breeders that had existed some 20 yearsbefore. The national bird was in trouble.
Three major reasons for the decline weregiven. These were loss of suitable nestinghabitat; widespread shooting, particularly
of immature birds; and broad use of pes-
ticides.
In Louisiana, as elsewhere in the deep
South, there was once a substantial
number of bald eagles. Nesting pairs in
the state were, and still are, augumented
in numbers particularly in January and
February by migrant birds fleeing the
harsh winters of the midwestern states.
The wintering birds like to frequent large
water areas such as Toledo Bend and
Lake D'Arbonne. They find an adequate
supply of fish and other food. Food is plen-
tiful also in the timber-marsh areas where
most of Louisiana's present nesting
eagles are found. This spring there are
eight active nests in Louisiana. These are
located in Terrebonne, Jefferson, St.
Charles and Assumption parishes, be-
tween New Orleans and Morgan City.
The nesting eagles usually arrive back
at the eyries or nests in late September
and October. By November, the nests are
conditioned. In December, nests contain
eggs. The period of incubation is just over
30 days. The young eagles remain in the
nest about 1 or 1 2 weeks, becoming fully
fledged by March.
The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries
Commission fully assisted in initial sur-
veys of bald eagle populations in
Louisiana. Active nests are also moni-
tored by Ray Aycock, U.S. Fish andWildlife Service, who operates out of
Baton Rouge. At the time this article wasbeing prepared, Aycock had visited six of
the eight active nests and reported nine
young birds sighted, with eggs still being
incubated in one nest. This was a slight
increase over last year.
Tall trees are ideally suited for eyries,
which are usually constructed 50 to 100
feet above the ground. The position of
branches determines the shape of the
The bald eagle, paradoxical symbol of the United States, is an impressively
strong bird, can spot prey on the ground three miles away, can dive at speeds
up to 60 miles an hour, and rarely ever misses its target. Eagles nest in pairs
and select tall trees for their eyries. Note the eagle chick just below the
mother's left wing.
nest, which can be cylindrical, bowl-
shaped, or an inverted cone. Many eyries
are on the top of dead trees but this is not
done purposefully. After many years of
use, fish oils seeping out of the nests into
the bark stop the upward flow of sap killing
the trees. In some sections of the country,
rocky cliffs or even the bare ground have
been used for nest sites.
The active Louisiana nests are located
in cypress trees standing in areas that are
mostly swamp and marsh, either adjacent
or near watered areas which are primary
sources of food. The eyries are easily vis-
ible from both helicopters and light fixed-
wing aircraft.
Full reports on Louisiana's active eagle
nests are prepared four times a year byWayne Dubuc, a marine surveyor wholives in Morgan City. Five years ago while
on a trip to Florida, Dubuc became vitally
interested in bald eagles after seeing
some nesting in that state. He became so
enthusiastic about the sight of the national
bird that he bought a camera and returned
to Florida the following year to photograph
eagles and their nests.
Not too long afterward, while on a
routine business trip in a helicopter he
spotted what he was certain to be bald
eagle nests in a swampy area along the
frequently traveled helicopter route. Thepilot shared his enthusiasm and they ag-
reed to return that weekend for photo-
graphs and a close look at the active eyrie.
This was several years before the pre-
sent bicentennial year that sparked na-
tional interest in the bald eagle. His
photographs and reports impressedFrank Lee, a vice president of Petroleum
Helicopters, Inc., whose fleet of helicop-
ters serve many facets of the offshore oil
industry. Lee authorized a free flight every
second Sunday so that Dubuc could
monitor the nesting activities of Louisia-
na's very special eagles. The helicopter
company certainly deserves a nod of
thanks because the company's generos-
ity and interest were made evident long
before the relatively recent concern for the
national bird.
Soon after he began monitoring the ac-
tivities of the bald eagle, Dubuc met RayAycock. He has been furnishing detailed
reports four times a year to the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service. In talking with
Dubuc, he revealed that on some occa-
sions the parent birds make angry attack-
ing movements toward a circling helicop-
ter. In those instances, the helicopter
moves on, to return at a later date. Thebald eagle is no match for a big helicopter
but the eagles have to be convinced. It is
this stately fierceness that makes the bald
eagle a fitting symbol of the United States.
Perhaps John Adams and Thomas Jef-
ferson were right in outvoting Benjamin
Franklin.
##These pages contain the Louisiana Record
Fish. Referred to by anglers around the state as the
"Top Ten," the list, kept officially for the Louisiana
Outdoor Writers' Association by Dan Hardesty, sports
editor of the Baton Rouge State-Times, is revised for the
current year and names the record-holders first through ten.
While it is possible that some individual anglers may have caught fish
larger than those appearing in the eligible fish categories on these pages,
catches do not become official unless an L.O.W.A. affidavit is completed and
mailed to Hardesty, %The Baton Rouge State Times, Baton Rouge, LA. Forms for
record may be obtained by writing the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission,
Information Section, 400 Royal Street. New Orleans, LA 70130.
Scan the categories listed below and study the competition . Keep in mind that these are not
fish tales . . . these are "the ones that didn't get away!"
Dan Hardesty
Fish Records Director
Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association
CHAIN PICKEREL
3-10 Beth C. Jackson3-9 Philip Hollier. Ir.
3-3 Harold 1. Gauthiei2-11 Robert B. Kimble2-IOVj Ronald C. Bourgei2-3 Lane Hudson2-1 Ronald C. Bourge
BOVVFINJulius E. Aaron
..lk> DunlapFrancis ). GautreauMary T. BooseRaymond H. Call,
Dalton L. Pollet
L. Maurice Lasserre.)
Bobby 1. lones, Jr.
Bob Perrodin
CATFISHJames W. HlbbenDarrell J. Ferris
James W. HibbenE. F. WitteborgMilton BlackwellLucien A. RobertJames D. McGovern,Doyle Wayne Boyd
ay
April 1975April 1975Nov. 1975May 1975]une 1975July 1975
April 1975June 1975April 1975
Feb. 1973May 1974Nov. 1975April 1975Sept. 1974Feb. 1975July 1975Nov. 1975April 1975
March 1970Jan. 1970Jan. 1970lune 1966Aug. 1975lune 1975Jan. 1969Jan. 1974
CRAPP1E(saca-lait)
Lettie Robertson4 Welzie Garrett
Ronald P. Cobbs14 Pat CullennViNellie Keller12 L. M. Owens8 Robert L. Nelson6 William D. Temple3 E. Lawrence Klein1 John Brent Roy
LARGEMOUTH BASS
Nov. 1969April 1950June 1971
March 1960Feb. 1964Feb. 1973Feb. 1971Feb. 1974
April 1968April 1971
SPOTTED BASS(Kentucky)
4-3 Carroll Perkins3-14 Jeff Hughes3-13 Charles J. Kennedy3-B Franklin D King3-6 Daniel K. Tabberer3-6 Charles H. Misenheimer3-3 Charles |. Kennedy3-2'A Brooke H Duncan3-1 Jim Oertling3-1 Dick Durham
Will
3-14 Sam Parrish2-3 Todd Palmisam2-2 John A. Schexna,1-10 Pattie DiMattia0-13 Keith W. Hendersu
Oct. 1939Nov. 1975Feb. 1972Sept. 1975Aug. 1972Oct. 1972Oct. 1972Aug. 1974May 1973Mar. 1974
Feb. 1969Oct. 1974Oct. 1975Dec. 1975
Harold C. Dunaway13 Jack O'Connor11 Elwin Husser9 Jake J. Crater6 Zeke Davis2 James Strickland1 John T. Allen II
Robert Berry13 Dudley R. Pitt, Sr.
13 Cecil Dillard
WARMOUTH(goggle-eye)
8% Allen PolkGlenn R. Battle
Lloyd David Sexton5Vj Leonard Gremillion. Jr.
Dr. James W. LorioDr. James W. LorioDr. James W. LorioCharles LeaSonny GuiceWilliam Temple
Feb. 1975April 1972Nov. 1958May 1971
March 1962Jan 1974May 1973
March 1969Nov. 1972Feb. 1975
Sept. 1973June 1971July 1975
April 1974Aug. 1973Aug. 1971Sept. 1973May 1974May 1974May 1974
40-0 Ray Rhymes, Jr. July 1926-4 Arnold Watson May 1924-0 Robert Prator
BREAM
Aug. 19
2-8 Grant M. Kelly 19;
2 8 J. W. Parker, Jr. June 19S2 5 Lloyd G. Hoover April 19'
2 4 J. W. Parker, Jr. May 19£2 3 Joe Hudson June 19;
2 2 Otis Marshall May 19f
2 1 Dee Murphy April 19;
2 Cal Bankston Mar. 19/
1 14 Fernin Grigsby 19'
1 14 E. T. George May 19f
STRIPED BASSDennis O. Boyett. Jr.
lerry BennettDan W. CondonWimpv ThielsHerman W. Holt. Sr.
Donnie MannRobert AndriesHerman W. Holt. Sr.
James R. GambleHerman W. Holt, Sr.
March 1975March 1975March 1975April 1975April 1975April 1975April 1975April 1975March 1975April 1975
REDFIN PICKERELKeith W. Henderson, Sr. Nov. 19/
LARGEMOUTH BASS(caught on fly rod)
-8 Nesbitt W. Hagood III April 19/
1
-6 Dr. James W. Lorio Dec. 19; I
-11 Gordon L. King. Sr. Oct. 19E
I
"9 Shelby Bordelon March 19; I
-13 Dr. James W. Lorio Sept. 19/1-12 Henry J. Sheppard Feb. 19; I
-12 Dr. James W. Lorio Oct. 19/1
5-12Milton ). Mouton8 Sonny Ourso4 Frank Ecker
George Tucker21/iRhett Pitre
8 Sonny Ourso)ohn L. Di Miceli, Jr.
Clovis H. Luquette12 Whitney Vincent, Sr.
12 F. C. Buchanan
Aug. 1975July 1974July 1969July 1959June 1975
March 1972July 1974June 1974Aug. 1974June 1965
BLUEFISH8 Leon Kolmaister4 Joseph Steverson12 Mrs. Dorothy Lane8 Gary Oberg15 Joseph C. Schouest, Sr.
14 Murphy J. Foster m14 Eugene C. Kwiatkowski10 Capt. Bob Davis8 James F. Collins5 Mrs. Rhoda Latino
Sept. 1971March 1971
July 1972Aug. 1974Sept. 1975Aug. 1973
March 1975April 1975Sept. 1970Feb. 1975
WHITE MARLINI Dennis L. GoodI George M. Snelling in! Sidney Gonsoulinl Mrs. Al R. Childress. Jr.
I William L. ManningHarley B. HowcottDr. John ChadwickMrs. Mary SmithDeWitt RackleyRonny Hebert
July 1967May 1968Aug. 1973May 1967July 1966July 1967Oct. 1969May 1964Oct. 1967Aug. 1973
BLUE MARLINi6-0 Alvin E. DuVernay, Jr.
2-0 Guy C. Billups. Jr.
5-12Jeanne deBarillas5-0 Al R. Childress. Jr.
7-0J. Harman Chandler
2-4 R. J. Carrere, Jr.
7-4 Pio Lyons5-0 R.
J.Carrere, Jr.
9-4 Jack C. Elliott
2-8 Dr. Claude Pumila
SPEARFISHi-0 Larry Bulot'-15 Stephanie Slatten)-4 Mrs. Guy C. Billups. Jr.
Aug. 1969Aug. 1974July 1972Aug. 1966July 1973Aug. 1973July 1974Aug. 1970May 1973June 1973
July 1964July 1974
1969
BROADBILL SWORDFISH12-8 Geo. M. Snellings III July 1969
SAJLFISHJohn LauricellaArnold O. DominGrant A. Rodriguez, Jr
W. McKerall O'Neil, Ji
Frank TutzauerDennis L. GoodDr. Jerry R. SmithDon LocasioTim SebastianMrs. Camille Cazedess
TARPON)6-0 Johnny A. Guidry)8-8 Oswald Frey)5-0 Schuyler ThibodeauxJ2-8 Carlos B. Harveyi8-12Carl SchmidtS8-8 Ray Cokeri6-12Cyrus VernaciJ6-12George
J. Bertuccii5-0 George C. Fakier. Jr.
i3-8 Russell B. Edmonston, Jr
BLACKFIN TUNA12 Mrs. Adelia L. Robichaux14 Michael X. St. Martin14 Richard Braud12 Dr. J. P. Thrasher0 Dr. Tom I, Greenberg" Jesse B. Lane
Rol CrumDr. Philip A. Robichaux
12 B. J. PaletonDr. Richard Landry
Oct. 1953July 1965May 1975June 1974June 1971Oct. 1967June 1968July 1971July 1964
Sept. 1955
July 1973Sept. 1951Sept. 1973June 1973Aug. 1971Aug. 1974Aug. 1972Oct. 1975Aug. 1970Sept. 1973
Nov. 1971Oct. 1974Oct. 1974Oct. 1971May 1971May 1971Oct. 1972Nov. 1971Aug. 1974Oct. 1971
Buddy PonsHugh R. BabylonClement AndollinaU. S. AllanFelix C. ByxbeLamar J. CallawayLouis U. ThorntonCecil JonesHolt H. FastringH. H. McCain
BLUEFIN TUNA9-0 Jack A. Brownl-12Roy V. Eskine0-0 Jack A. Brown6-4 Jack Kimmerly2-8 John D. Charbonnet0-0 Jim Meriwether0-0 Pete Menelee
Dec. 1969Dec. 1970Dec. 1970Jan. 1971Dec. 1970Nov. 1971larch 1967Nov. 1970Dec. 1970Dec. 1953
June 1971May 1972June 1971May 1975May 1971May 1963July 1966
YELLOWFIN TUNA(Allison)
8 Alvin E. DuVernay8 William A. Good8 Guy C. Billups, Jr.
Clyde V. Hawk4 Henry F. Page, Jr.
Richard H. BraudCapt. Tom HollidavClyde V. HawkGeorge C. Stringer, Jr.
12Ronald Beard
124-8110-0103-095-692-090-985-884-0
WAHOOSalvadore Perino, Jr.
Mrs. Homer J. Moore, Jr
William H. Barrett, Jr.
Dr. Wilson P. CouchClyde V. HawkMrs. Sherran Fritchter
Stephen CouchDr. S. E. EllenderLee Harvey Welch
BARRACUDAA. C. MillsDr. Thomas F. Kramer
8 Lester L. Jay8 Jep. E. Turner, Jr.
Bob MarinoJ.J.JonesArthur Hosli
6 Sanford B. Dooley4 Nolan McCrain8 John Dofter
TRIPLETAIL8 Mrs. Jimmy Toups12 Mrs. Mary G. Blackmon12 Jeff Toups
Bob MoranJimmy ToupsMrs. Jimmy Toups
8 Lawrence Federico, Jr.
8 Mrs. Jimmy Toups4 Mrs. Clavena Cognevich12 Dennis Dimak
DOLPHIN8 Mike Pratt
12 Henry F. Page12 Stuart W. Wilson12 Wayne Plaisance12 Maumus F. Claverie.
August Perez, Jr.
8 Clyde V. Hawk8 Salvatore Perino4 L. W. Bateman
Dr. Henry Ellener
CROAKER(Atlantic)
Douglas J. Bernard5 Eugene Lefort, Jr.
4 Eugene Lefort, Jr.
2 Lloyd J. BabinWilliam Sparacello
14 Joseph D. Toups, Jr.
11 Judge Alvin Oser10 Eugene Lefort. Jr.
9V2 Eugene Lefort, Jr.
Eugene Lefort, Jr.
June 1971July 1969May 1966June 1968July 1973June 1966May 1975June 1966July 1970May 1974
May 19741964
July 1973April 1975May 1975July 1968June 1975May 1975April 1975June 1973
Aug. 1970Oct. 1975Aug. 1972Sept. 1968July 1972
Sept. 1966Oct. 1971June 1974July 1967
April 1965
July 1959Aug. 1970July 1973June 1953July 1970July 1970Aug. 1971July 1970Aug. 1970Aug. 1964
! 1973i 1973: 1969! 1968
July 1973July 1966June 1967July 1968June 1971April 1972
197219701970196919721966
Aug. 1973Oct. 1970Oct. 1970Oct. 1970
(African)27-1 Harold Moreaux23-2 Clyde H. Martin22-11 Jeff Patout17-0 Beau I. Greenwald15-8 Bill Hodges13-4 Harry H. Anderson13-0 Jesse B. Lane11-14 Jack Kellev11-2 Mike Podgurski10-4 Mrs. Jesse B. Lane
Benny AveraSchuyler ThibodeWilson CouchCharles SebastianSam Sharp
iRobert J. HoteBrent T. GremillicPerry SeguraFranK EckerJohn M. Morgan
Sept
Sept.
12-2
n-iy<11-011-011-010-1210-09-12"/!
9-0
8-10
FLOUNDERClarence CraigClarence CraigLee W. CoulonGeorge E. StevensHenry SchomakerMrs. Joseph Fousse, Jr.
Richard J. Boll. Jr.
F. D. Laney EavesF. J. FontenotPaulton Hebert
Dec. 1969April 1972June 1972Aug. 1963July 1966Aug. 1966Julv 1973Aug. 75
Mav 1971June 1973
Feb. 1969Nov. 1967Nov. 1967Nov. 1967Dec. 1968Nov. 1970Julv 1965Aug". 1970Dec. 1970Oct. 1958
SPECKLED TROUT12-6 Leon Mattes10-12 Randolph D. Gr.
10-0 David G. Bucco]9-14 James L. LeMay9-12 John W. Burns9-12 Anthony J. Bian9-11 Nicholas J. Dim:9-8 Richard F. Mull9-4 Joseph E. Frey9-4 Harold G. Shrei'
May 1950Aug. 1970May 1974
April 1970March 1968Aug. 1970May 1975June 1970April 1967June 1972
WHITE TROUT11-0 Donald H. Marion10-8 James Gomez8-4 Dale Schlottman7-1 Lucas J. Giordano7-1 Dan Mandet6-12 Eddie Eiermann5-9 Delmar Perry
DRUM77-0 Timmv Joseph Darcey61-15 Walton J. Theriot58-3 Laddie Portier56-9 Davis Doucet55-4 Dick Trosclair54-8 Richard Ledet, Sr.
50-1 Kenneth Pierce50-0 Norris Schexnider49-2 Dick Trosclair48-10 Mark Stephen Hebert
SHEEPHEAD14-12 John N. Bourg14-4 Eugene Lefort, Jr.
12-4 James Summersgill, Jr.
12-2 Dudley J. Bourg11-14 Mrs. Bruce Matherne11-13 George P. Bourg11-8 Mrs. Aubrey Bares11-8 Steve Troesch11-6 Eugene Lefort. Jr.
10-15 Freddie J. Bourg
Sept. 1973Jan. 1973Aug. 1975June 1974Aug. 1975July 1974Aug. 1975
April 1975June 1974Aug. 1974July 1974
April 1974May 1975July 1974July 1974July 1974
March 1974
May 1970March 1971
July 1972Oct. 1970Feb. 1974Aug. 1972
1955Dec. 1956May 1971Dec. 1971
REDFISHO. L. Cornish
8 Philip A. Robinson8 John E. Dakin, Jr.
James T. BradyMrs. Pauline G. Rohl
12 Joseph Vetrano8 Nick Martinolich
Patricia A. SantolRobert Arthur Bui
10 Nick Martinolich
Sept. 1963June 1967Dec. 1975Sept. 1972May 1974Oct. 1957Aug. 1970
:ito Feb. 1975k, Sr. April 1975
Aug. 1975
JACK CREVALLE41-14 Elmo Robichaux. Sr.41-4 Joseph M. Roth40-8 George J. Bertucci40-5 George Huber40-0 Edwin F. Stacy. Jr.
40-0 Fred F. Pichon40-0 Bob McDonald40-0 Sidney Triche39-8 Stephen G. Eberhardt39-4 Riley V. Adams
Oct. 1973Aug. 1975Oct. 1973July 1974)uly 1953Nov. 1970Sept. 1972June 1973Aut. 1975June 1973
COBLA96-0 Charlie Hardison82-12 Alphonse S. Hebert. Sr.
82-8 Harry Morris80-0 Dr. James C. Brousseau79-3 Glenn Aycock78-0 Elmer Walker. Jr.
77-0 William P. Scaife76-0 Ken Graef75-0 James G. McMurry75-0 Harry H. Anderson
BONITO29-12 Sidney Gonsoulin26-8 Al "Teppy" Daboval. Jr.
24-12 Joseph W. Gex24-9 Stirling Couch24-8 Erin M. Burks23-0 Charles Andres III
20-0 Mrs. Lester Plaisance18-0 Mark Landrieu17-8 Leonard Bertucci16-4 G. R. Murphy. Jr.
June 1973Nov. 1967May 1966June 1973May 1973May 1971June 1974June 1971May 1967June 1969
July 1974July 1973June 1970July 1949Aug. 1971July 1949July 1959July 1974Aug. 1971Aug. 1969
71-069-1369-8
68-667-1467-1267-467-4
KING MACKERELFrank J. MohrePaul WigginsBill GoldenEdward C. Beshoner,Paul J. TregreO. R. PayneDoug WhiteMonte Thrailkill
J. J. MoralesBonnie Giacona
Dec. 1974Jan. 1975Nov. 1974Mar. 1974
March 1975Oct. 1972Dec. 1972Dec. 1971Jan. 1974Aug. 1975
SPANISH MACKERELMike LeBlancJames P. Antill
Warren Fisher, Jr.
Anthony C. D'AntonioMrs. Earlise Lefort
Pat MatherneEarl E. WallAddis McDonaldDanny John SmithRichard Gray
MAKO SHARK
Aug. 1972Aug. 1971Oct. 1974Nov. 1970July 1975Aug. 1973Aug. 1973Sept. 1969June 1975Nov. 1968
400-0358-8280-0268-0265-8259-8190-0186-0179-8179-8
Sr.Jules E. GuglielO. R. PayneLeander H. Perez. Jr.
Mrs. Alma L. BurksRichard Landry
J. W. DuffyDr. M. E. Brierre
Dr. Wilson P. CouchGen. Raymond HufftGuy C. Billups, Jr.
RAINBOW RUNNER
July 1972July 1973Aug. 1967July 1971May 1975May 1970July 1970Aug. 1975May 1966Aug. 1966
8-12 Don Latil. Sr.
8-8 Sidney Harold5-6 L. C. Curry4-3 Steve Cockerham3-0 O'Neal Walsh
Eddie WeisenPaul H. Phillips, Jr.
2-11
Jim Meriwether2 Mrs. Jesse B. Lane
Marvin E. Griffin
Bill BarnhillDr. Joseph A. Tusa
15 Alvin G. KammGordon E. TumaJesse B. Lane
6 Donald F. Locascio.4 Gordon E. Tuma
July 1972Aug. 1975Sept. 1975July 1975July 1975July 1975June 1975
Oct. 1963May 1975Aug. 1967Aug. 1971Aug. 1975June 1975July 1974June 1971June 1973May 1973
HORSE EYE JACKFISH14-11 Amos V. Moack Oct. 1974
At certain times of the year they are iagniappe fish, taken whenblack bass seem to get "lockjaw." But during the spring they are
definitely a sought-after prize, and it's then that every freshwater
angler in the state begins . .
.
Searchingfor
Sac-a-laitBY FRANK DAVIS
Photography by Lloyd Poissenot
Come March and April every year, the freshwater rivers,
bayous, and streams of Louisiana become the coveted and often
exclusive domain of two distinct breeds of fishermen.
First, there's the bassmaster— he is the guy who goes throughlife in continuous turmoil with himself, wondering principally whenand where he'll boat nothing less than the most gargantuanlargemouth bass God ever put in the waters on Earth. Hefrantically wants to fish in every spot there is, all at the same time,
and usually sports a monstrous, super-powered bass boat rigged
with enough sophisticated, electronic, computerized, solid-state
fishing equipment to get a man to the planet Pluto and back! He is
afloat this time of year because he knows that springtime will
increase his chances of maybe catching "that big one."And then there's the crappie fisherman — by piscatorial
comparison, he is the more sanguine, the more lackadaisical
member of the freshwater dibbling clan. He's probably attached
to a well-used aluminum johnboat, a hand-operated trolling
motor, a homemade bleach-bottle anchor, an extra paddle hewon at a church raffle, two faded cane poles, and a dentedminnow bucket. He's rarely in a hurry, likes old-fashioned angling
10
leisure-style, and thinks about fish only when he's ready to go
fishing. But like the bassmaster, he'll be afloat in March and April
because he knows this time of year will produce that "big mess of
crappie" he's been looking for.
Now don't get me wrong. As L'il Abner said . . . "To each his
own druthers." There certainly is nothing wrong with
bassmastering. But since the bassmaster has all kinds of
organizations for his breed, since the bassmaster has numerousbooks written exclusively about his addiction, and since the
bassmaster usually gets all the recognition he needs, we're doing
this story about that other kind of fishing . . .fishing for sac-a-lait.
Regardless of what they are called — sac-a-lait, white perch,
crappie, bachelor perch, papermouth, speckled perch, or calico
bass— the species provide some fine fishing in Louisiana early in
the spring. Technically, the Bayou State has good populations of
both "white crappie" and "black crappie" (their biological names),
but most anglers are content to call them just "crappie."
Nevertheless, skill as a crappie angler is enhanced if the
fisherman makes a little bit of effort to learn the differences
between the two:
'§*
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THE WHITE CRAPPIE
It's an elongated but rather flattened fish. Over-all
coloration is silvery, but interspersed throughout the hue
is green to dark olive blotches. In the white crappie these
blotches are arranged in what resembles vertical bars;
in the black crappie the blotches appear helter-skelter. It
is the white crappie that has only six dorsal and six anal
spines, while the black crappie has seven to nine.
On the average, the white crappie adult will weigh
about a pound, but in good "sac-a-iait" waters two and
three pound fish are not that unique.
When small, the white crappie has a definite food
preference to insects and plankton. But as it matures,
the major portion of its diet changes to fish. It particularly
seems to favor gizzard shad.
The white crappie builds its nest in water up to eight
feet deep, and at spawning time the female will produce
anywhere from 3,000 to 15,000 eggs. In certain areas
this species will overpopulate itself because it is a hardyfish, is able to live in silty rivers and streams, andseemingly will tolerate a substantially turbid waterway.
THE BLACK CRAPPIE
Like its relative, the black crappie has the same silver
and green coloration, even though it is slightly different
in shape. Most anglers, however, cannot recognize this
shape difference unless they catch one of each species
and compare them. As mentioned previously, the
blotches on the black crappie are scattered and show no
distinguishable pattern.
On the average, the black crappie adult will be about1 2 inches long in four years, but this could vary with food
availability and overpopulation tendencies. Primary diet
of the black crappie is fish, but it will eat insects,
crawfish, mollusks, and shrimp.
The fish prefers clean, quiet waters with sufficient
vegetative cover. It has a tough time coping with
turbidity. Spawn is in the late spring or early summeramidst excavated vegetation. The female can lay
anywhere from 20,000 to 50,000 eggs.
For all practical purposes, what an angler needs to know aboutcrappie fishing need not be separated by species differentiation.
Both black and white crappie react the same to fishingtechniques, types of tackle, baits to use, and hints to increase thecatch.
When we went afloat searching for in-practice informationabout fishing for sac-a-lait, we went with the idea of compiling alist of "best" methods, the methods that veteran anglersconsistently make work when they go after Ol' Papermouth. It
involved a lot of digging and a lot of questions, but ... ascut-and-dry, as direct, as informative, and as complete aspossible here is just about everything you really need to know to
"search for sac-a-lait":
The best times to fish for sac-a-lait are (1) when they arebeginning to "school up" in preparation for spawning, and (2)when they are on the spawning beds. Schooling usually beginsonce water temperatures get about 60 degrees; spawning usuallyoccurs when the temperature of the water hits 68 degrees.
The best places to fish lor sac-a-lait are — simply — whereverbaitfish collect (brushpiles, dead trees, submerged roots,logjams, undercut banks, docks, and floating mats). Consistently,backwater areas where "structure" is present prove to be selectsac-a-lait spots. Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commissionbiologists say the fish, when they spawn, release a hormone intothe water, and that hormone exerts some effect on spawning.
12
The primary diet of thej
black crappie is fish .
.
and inch-long minnowsare sure-fire baits!
Chumming with cottonseed
cake, cooked grits, or rice lead
baitfish to an area. In turn, the
baitfish lead to a full stringer of
sac-a-lait.
Backwater areas which are regularly "flushed" obviously retain
less hormone and produce more crappie.
Listed among the state's more productive waters are Pearl
River, Saline-Larto, Toledo Bend, Lake Concordia, LakeClaiborne (great night-fishing), Lake D'Arbonne, Caddo Lake,
Lake Gassoway, Indian Creek Reservoir, Bundicks Lake, Black
Lake (at Compti), Nantachie Lake, and Lake Vernon.
Keep in mind that although crappie spawn in water four to eight
feet, after the spawn they resume their pursuit of baitfish and this
could take them deep ... so be prepared to do some searching.
Generally, though, find the baitfish and you'll find the crappie.
One other thing about where to fish — the male sac-a-lait not
only makes the nest and fertilizes the eggs, he also guards it until
the hatchlings can fend for themselves. He will attack anything
which threatens the nest, which means fishing aroundcrappie-guarded nests holds lots of promise.
The best baits to use for sac-a-lait are subject to differences of
opinion. We find that most anglers prefer minnows as their first
choice. A close second choice is grasshoppers, crickets, or
cockroaches. Earthworms, grubs, larvae, and crawfish generally
rank last in popularity.
Crappie will take artificials, too. Some of the favorites are
spinners in combination with minnows, streamers, wet flies,
popping bugs, small jigs, plastic worms, and small bucktails.
White pork rind generally enhances an artificial. And if you want to
attract crappie to a spot you like, try "chumming" it with either
cottonseed cake, cooked grits, or rice. The "chum" drawsbaitfish, and the baitfish draw crappie.
The best ways to fish for sac-a-lait are up to the angler.
Slow-trolling (almost a crawl!) with either live minnows or small
artificials takes crappie. You'll have to experiment to find out
where the fish are, but once you find the depth of the school the
rest is easy. Slow-trolling is especially productive in early spring
when sac-a-lait are likely to be deep.
Casting is another method that works. Anchor near somestructure and cast small lures or minnows as close as possible to
logjams and tangles. It is important to retrieve very slowly, but it is
also important to use a lot of action.
Still-fishing straight down is also good for crappie. Use either asmall float that has little resistance (since crappie bite rather
gently) and fish predetermined depths until you find the school, or
fish without a float and "jig" the bait just off the bottom.
As far as actual angling is concerned, a few hints make the
methods more rewarding . . . hook minnows on a No. 4 hook just
above the spine and under the dorsal fin . . . pinch off the tail
membrane to cause the minnow to wobble as if injured . . . fish
early in the morning and late in the evening (when they migrate to
the shallows to feed) . . . and concentrate on spots where the
water is shaded (crappie will spook easily!).
The best tackle to use for sac-a-lait also is arbitrary. Someanglers prefer light spinning tackle; some will fish with nothing but
a cane pole; and others use only a flyrod. The name of the game is
get the bait to where the fish are. It doesn't matter how.
Some sac-a-lait anglers even go after crappie the waysaltwater fishermen go after croakers and red snapper— they rig
the terminal end with multiple drop hooks so they can catch two
(or even three) fish at a time. Just set the hook gently and play the
fish easy. Crappie have tender mouths and they shake hooks aswell as do speckled trout.
There are probably stacks of books you can read about crappie
fishing, but most of them say the very same thing in a lot morewords than you see here. And let's face it . . . you really don't wantto spend all your time "reading" about crappie — you want to
"catch" crappie. Even a bassmaster likes to catch crappie!
It's not such a phenomenon to be drifting down a quiet river
somewhere in your johnboat and see a bassman in his
super-powered bass rig anchored under a tree fishing for crappie.
Because sometimes . . .well, those largemouth bass just seem to
get mighty particular about what they will eat and when they get
hungry.
And on days like those, even the most advocated bassmasterhas to admit that dem sac-a-lait sure are tasty little devils.
13
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TkctthATwkfy
14
By Murrell Butler
Thanks largely to the restocking program of the Louisiana Wildlife andFisheries Commission the wild turkey can again be seen and hunted in manyparishes in Louisiana. Back in the 1940's, before the commission started its
restocking program, the turkey population reached a low of only 1,500 birds.
Prior to the turn of the century, biologists estimated that about 300,000 wildturkeys occurred in suitable sites in the state. Destruction ofhabitat and uncon-trolled hunting are blamed for the turkey's disappearance. It is a bird that
requires large areas of undisturbed mature forests interspaced with openingsand drinking areas.
The wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) was first domesticated by the Aztec
Indians in Southern Mexico. It was later brought back to Europe by the Spanishconquistadores and was established as a domestic bird in Europe in the 1500's.
From this Mexican breeding stock all of the varied domestic breeds that occurtoday were developed. The wild turkey of the eastern United States has a trim
streamlined appearance with an overall bronzy iridescence. It has brown tips
on the tail feathers instead of white as does its domestic brethren. Wild turkeygobblers weigh from 18 to 20 pounds, while the hens average about 10 poundsless. They are strong flyers and can clear treetops swiftly and sail a mile or morewith only an occasional wingbeat. They are also quite adept at running andusually prefer to do this unless unusually hard pressed. While running, wild
turkeys have been known to reach speeds of at least 15 miles per hour. Theseabilities are usually sufficient protection against predators. In Louisiana the
main predators of the turkey are the bobcat, grey fox, great horned owl, skunkand opossum, the skunk and opossum being more destructive to nests andyoung than adults.
In spring wild turkey gobblers establish strutting territories. Each gobbler
has a harem offrom three to five hens. These he guards jealously. As the older
gobblers usually dominate the younger ones, it is common for yearling gobblers
not to mate and establish territories the first year. The wild turkey is muchprized as a game bird. It is noted for its elusiveness and keen eyesight. It is
during the spring when gobblers are strutting that they are hunted. Calling up a
wild turkey often requires considerable skill and many different devices are
invented for this purpose. One call is made from the actual wingbone of a
turkey.
The nest ofthe wild turkey is always placed on the ground, generally in a well
concealed situation. When leaving the nest, the hen always covers the eggs with
leaves, thus making the nest almost impossible to find. For this reason, fewturkey nests are ever found. The incubation period is approximately 28 days,
and during this time the hen must remain on her nest day and night. This places
her in a most vulnerable situation to predators and many hens are lost each year
in this manner. For the first few weeks after hatching, young turkeys or poults
are very susceptible to wetting and must be very carefully brooded by the
mother. When the young are about a month old, they begin to roost in trees with
the hen.
To succeed in our state, the wild turkey needs the cooperation of every
individual and hunters must adhere to hunting regulations. Due to the state's
well planned and executed restocking program, I now have the pleasure of
observing wild turkeys that come to feed from a feeder in my back yard each
afternoon, a sight which would have been practically impossible 20 years ago.
15
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When a man can catch upwards of athousand bass during the month of
January in Louisiana, most folks will be-
lieve that he can't count or that he is dis-
tantly removed from the truth, to put that
latter thought mildly. But 22-year-old MarkBrockhoeft will smile disarmingly. As hecontinues to talk, one quickly gets the im-
pression that he is not inclined to exagg-eration. He readily admits that most of the
bass are just under two pounds. There areexceptions but these are infrequent. Hejust catches a lot of winter-scrappy bass.
On ultra-light tackle those fish supply all
the sport a man can ask for in bass fishing.
Mark calls Gretna, La., home but
spends most of his time at Lafitte, La.,
helping his father Sheddy Brockhoeft whohas run the Lafitte Seaway Marina for up-wards of four years. He has been fishing
since he was about six years old, but
didn't develop special interest in bassangling until he was about 12 years of
age.
18
Mark fishes marsh bass. Unlike mostbass anglers he gets his best fishing assoon as it turns cold. Those bonanza trips
come about two days after a cold front
moves through the area, driving the tides
out of the marshes. Fishing is excellent
until the wind makes a clockwise shift andswings around to the south, pushing waterback into the marshes. Bass that havebeen crowded into ponds when the tides
were swept out move back into themarshes to feed. When that happens,Mark settles back and waits until anotherfront slams through.
Young Brockhoeft doesn't have amagic formula or a particular edge overother bass fishermen. It's just that in less
than an hour's run by boat from the marinahe has discovered marsh bass and thebest time to fish them.A normal question for anyone reading
this account of bass, as plentiful as breamare irs the northern tier of parishes, wouldbe what makes them so plentiful in the
marsh ponds? A little layman's ecology
might contain the answer. The Louisiana
marsh is subjected to rapid changes in
water level, salinity, and temperature. Fer-
tile soils and a warm climate render
Louisiana marshlands the most fertile in
the world.
Biologists say that the total protein pro-
duction from an acre of marsh is about
seven times the yield of good farm land. It
follows that the most fertile areas are in
our marshes and consequently they sup-
port the greatest amount of animal life.
Even so, accepting this great fertility,
relatively few people think of the marshesas a place for catching largemouth bass.
In spite of the harshness of the marshes,in recent years the popularity of bass fish-
ing in these areas has been increasing.
More persons like Mark Brockhoeft are
discovering the fun of catching plenty of
fish, particularly during those months of
the year when many people feel that all
largemouth bass are moody
.
Marsh bass do not reach lunker size even though somewill occasionally go four pounds or more. Two poundersare a good average. Most marsh bass run about a poundand a half. On ultra— light tackle, they are tops in anglingsport. Marsh bass are most active during the wintermonths and any session with them is a prelude to spring.
.'*>«:.•, '.-*w\«S»" •!>. ,t: *fr
By McFadden Duffy
Photography by Lloyd Poissenot
There are some fishermen who will tell
you they have found both freshwater and
saltwater species inhabiting some marsh-
land ponds. This isn't unusual. It is not
really uncommon to find largemouth bass,
blue and channel catfish, bluegill and
crappie swimming right along with redfish,
speckled trout, freshwater drum, sheep-
shead and croakers. Although bass are
found associated with those saltwater
forms, they can tolerate only a limited
amount of salinity.
Extensive research conducted by
fisheries biologists has revealed that ap-
proximately 12 per cent seawater is the
maximum concentration at whichlargemouth bass can successfully repro-
duce. Biologists have collectedlargemouth bass in study areas with salt-
water concentrations as high as 29 per
cent seawater but report that bass are
rarely taken from areas that have more
than approximately 12 percent seawater.
This is a relatively small amount and bass
fishermen should not expect to find
largemouth bass in the extreme south-
ernmost sections of the state's marshes.
Occasional occurence of largemouth
bass in saline waters is probably the result
of foraging excursions into those areas
where saltwater species are abundant.
With marsh bass, spawning takes place
in the very early spring when the water
temperature reaches approximately 65°
F. The male has the task of building the
nest. Nest building, spawning, and the
guarding of the young by the male is simi-
lar to bass reproduction everywhere, ex-
cept that it comes earlier with marsh
bass.
The young fry commence feeding upon
small aquatic insects and advance to a
stage at which they will eat almost any-
thing. Bass fishermen have reported find-
ing such things as birds, snakes, frogs,
rats, mice, muskrats, eels, crawfish and
lizards in bass stomachs.
It might come as a surprise that hur-
ricanes play an important role in Louisia-
na's marsh bass populations. When a
major hurricane strikes the Louisiana
coasts pushing powerful salt tides inward,
it drastically changes the ecology of the
marsh. As the heavy saline waters roll
over the marsh, a great portion of the
freshwater fish are killed; but there are
always a few survivors. These reproduce
after the waters freshen up and population
development is a dramatic one. It is
somewhat similar to rapid population
growth in new impoundments. Mostfishermen are familiar with the pheno-
menal success that is had during the first
five or six years of a new lake.
Hurricanes also kill most of the freshwa-
ter aquatics which are always a problem in
marsh navigation, and often create newmarsh ponds. The recycling of nutrients is
another benefit, one that makes the
marsh more fertile.
What Mark Brockhoeft and others have
learned is that marsh bass fishing is unlike
19
other bass fishing in that the tish will often
strike when those in more northern im-
poundments, lakes and streams will not.
The reasons being that the fish popula-
tions are always fluctuating due to oxygen
depletions, hurricanes, and low water
levels. The metabolic rate of bass is con-
trolled by the environment, and body
temperatures of these marsh bass adjust
to their surroundings. Fishermen have
found that activity of bass in overly cold or
hot water is greatly lessened and the fish
go into a sort of dormancy. Studies indi-
cate that the temperature range for the
greatest digestion or metabolism is bet-
ween 60° and 80° F. This is the tempera-
ture range at which bass are the most
active. The shallow waters of our southern
marshes are warmer year around result-
ing in fish that are highly active, therefore
constantly seeking food. This is whywinter fishing for marsh bass is excep-
tionally good following a cold front. Be-
cause the shallow water begins an im-
mediate warming trend, the marsh bass
go on a virtual feeding spree. This makesfor excellent fishing and astounding
catches. It is just a matter of knowing
where and when to fish for marsh bass for
best results.
Bass coming from the usually murkeymarsh waters are characterized by their
darker color. They are usually dark green
with sides that are mottled and lighter. Thebelly is a greenish white. In some areas
they will average just over a pound while
in other areas they will be generally larger.
There are few real heavyweights. A marshbass of five pounds should be mounted.It's rare!
One reason why many bass fishermen
will disbelieve Mark's winter angling re-
pl
—
.
ipMH^te-
H*
P•
if!
^t"^
i
i
v^—••-;•
"0< •'
" < HA marsh bass violently strikes a lure retrieved past its late winter haunt. Because thesefish depend on the flow of the tide for food, they will attack nearly anything that
moves . . . which makes angling for them an action-packed sport.
This largemouth took a spinnerbait, but
marsh bass will seize practically any kind
of artificial and a wide range of natural
baits.
20
This is winter marsh bass fishing . . .
the finest prelude to spring a man can
find!
cords is that this good marsh bass fishing
comes at a time when many thousands of
acres of marshland and marsh ponds are
being utilized for duck and goose hunting.
It wouldn't take much effort but there are
not many waterfowlers who wiil carry their
fishing gear along with gun, shells and
decoy. Most have never even given it a
thought!
Another alternative would be to
sandwich in some marsh bass fishing trips
between duck hunting trips but the odds
are against that for most sportsmen. Theyconsider the hunting season to be too
short to waste time with fishing when they
could be hunting. It's a darn shame, be-
cause they are missing some of the fas-
test bass action possible, even if the fish
are not huge in size.
Mark Brockhoeft says that he hasequally good results on underwater lures
as well as surface lures. Perhaps one
reason is that the marsh ponds are ex-
tremely shallow and it doesn't make a
great deal of difference to these bass
when they are on one of their periodic
feeding sprees. His idea of a perfect day is
when the bass are teeming in the cuts that
connect the marsh ponds. Dependingupon the flow of the tide, they'll be feeding
on whatever happens to be passing
through with the ebb of water. When a lure
is offered it is seldom passed up.
This is winter marsh bass fishing, the
finest prelude to spring bass angling that a
man can find. It is only available on such
an astonishing scale in Louisiana. Whynot give it a try while the lunker bass are
still deep in their winter haunts and not
providing the fast action that most bass
fishermen crave?
21
THEY BAWD DUCKS MM WIWT1EIRText and Photography by Lloyd Poissenot
On June 11, 1975, following a public
hearing in Lafayette, the Louisiana
Wildlife and Fisheries Commission voted
unanimously to accept a proposal from
the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ex-
perimentally zone the state for duck hunt-
ing during the next four hunting seasons.
The public hearing was attended by about
200 duck hunters from throughout the
state who enthusiastically supported the
commission's action.
In accepting the offer for zoning and the
authority to set different duck seasondates in each zone, the commision ag-
reed and is obligated to cooperate fully in
an extensive program of winter duckbanding, harvest surveys, population
censuses, and the collection of other
biological data pertinent to waterfowl
populations that winter or migrate through
Louisiana each fall and winter.
It was also agreed that this cooperativeresearch program would be carried out
over the four years, 1975-78, during which
Louisiana will be zoned for the regular
duck season. After this study period, the
information assembled will be analyzedand a decision rendered by the U. S. Fish
and Wildlife Service regarding a perma-nent transfer of all or part of Louisiana to
the Central Flyway for the 1979 season.Although the commission has main-
tained that sufficient biological informa-
tion is already on hand to justify such atransfer, the federal wildlife agency in-
sisted that this four year study be com-pleted before any such action could take
place.
Harvest statistics for both the west andeast zones, radar studies of fall and winter
waterfowl migrations into Louisiana
through the Central and Mississippi Fly-
ways, trapping and banding operations
and periodic aerial censuses of waterfowl
populations in Louisiana and perhaps in
Mexico will all be part of the most com-prehensive waterfowl research program
ever conducted in Louisiana.
At present, over 7,000 ducks, primarily
mallards, but also pintail, wigeon, green-
winged teal, blue-winged teal, shoveler,
black ducks, ring-necked ducks, scaup,
redheads and others have been bandedunder an accelerated trapping program at
six locations in Louisiana. It is anticipated
that by early spring approximately 1 0,000ducks will have been banded by commis-sion and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
personnel. Recoveries of banded ducksreported by hunters will provide critical
information on the timing and direction of
migration as well as mortality and survival
rates of various species of ducks winter-
ing in Louisiana.
Harvest statistics will be determined bydetailed mail questionnaires sent out to
approximately 10,000 randomly selected
hunters throughout Louisiana. This infor-
mation will provide a basis for estimating
the number of hunting efforts and harvestof ducks in each zone during the hunting
season. Equally important questions to beanswered by the harvest survey will
center around how much Louisiana hun-ters used both zones during the 1975-76season and how much impact this activity
had on Louisiana's duck harvest.
The end result of the four year zoningstudy and associated research workhopefully will clarify Louisiana's relation-
ship to the Central and Mississippi Water-fowl Flyways once and for all.
22
f. X
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L -4 JMbJ0
1
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.>'>
By early spring,approximately 10,000ducks will have beenbanded by personnel of theLouisiana Wildlife andFisheries Commission andthe U.S. Fish and WildlifeService. Hunters whorecover the banded duckswill provide the critical
information both agenciesneed in determining timingand direction of migrationas well as mortality andsurvival rates ofoverwintering ducks in theBayou State.
&>'
:«.t^#
CFTDttEADD THE RIMERBy McFadden Duffy
Photography by Lloyd Poissenot
At present there is a struggle for
supremacy going on between natural
forces along the Louisiana coast.
Because of man's interference in
numerous ways with the ecology of the
state's marshes and estuarine areas, the
Gulf of Mexico is gnawing away at the
fragile coastline. Like a sulking giant,
hiding its anger under gently undulating
tides or occasionally demonstrating its
power in lashing hurricanes, the gulf is
inexorably chewing away approximately
16.5 miles or 10,000 acres of marsheseach year.
While this is taking place, the captive
Mississippi River is annually draining
topsoil from the heartland of America andrushing it southward to the gulf where it is
dumped over the continental shelf and
lost forever. Countless tons of
nutrient-rich soil are sped down the
coffee-colored river that is harnessed by
man-made levees to prevent periodic
flooding.
Annual replenishing of the bordering
farmlands and the great delta that sprawls
between the river's many passes like the
outstretched fingers of a giant hand is held
pretty well in check.
The Atchafalaya River is a mighty
tributary of the Mississippi River. During
the last quarter-century, the Atchafalaya
threatened to capture the main course of
the Mississippi itself. With its tremendous
payload of silt, the Atchafalaya River is
proving that nature can wield a two-edged
sword. It is building new land in
Atchafalaya Bay at a rate that may soon
exceed the timetable established by
experts on Louisiana's marshes and
estuaries.
Flanking the mouth of the lower
Atchafalaya River and the Wax Lake
Outlet are swelling land masses that are
gradually forming a new delta, alive with
myriad species of vegetation andincreasing forms of wildlife. Like active
deltas all over the world, the growing
Atchafalaya delta will become highly
productive for wildlife. Before long it will beheavily used by furbearing animals such
as raccoon, otter, mink, muskrat andnutria. In the not distant future there will be
whitetail deer and rabbit.
As Atchafalaya Bay begins to fill up and
water becomes shallow the first
freshwater aquatics to become firmly
established will be pondered, any of
various submerged or floating aquatics of
the genus Potamogeton; coontail; andwigeon grass. Later, in plant succession,
there will be emergent vegetation such as
delta duck potato and freshwater
three-square grass migratory mallard and
pintail ducks will be attracted to the delta
duck potato in particular; while gadwal,
wigeon, and other ducks will feed on the
wigeon grass. It will provide ideal habitat
for native mottled ducks.
On the higher spoil banks and high
ground formed in the marshes of the delta
willow, red maple and cypress will be the
first trees to become abundant, spreading
over large areas as land is built up.
Already there has been an increase in
mullet and other forage fish near the
exposed flats of the new delta.
As the Atchafalaya delta becomesviable, there will be interior ponds created.
These will support excellent populations
of freshwater fish such as bass, bream,
crappie and catfish. The fringe areas,
studded with marsh grasses will attract
large populations of blue crabs and young
shrimp. Fish, common to the estuarine
system of Louisiana, will also be attracted.
The shallow flats will produce atremendous amount of crawfish. Proof of
the ability to support enormous crawfish
populations has already beendemonstrated in similar delta areas
established south of Morgan City. This
area, some 128 square miles in size, wasalso a deposition of the Atchafalaya
system many years ago. A rough figure on
the acreage involved would be 81,000
acres of rich, productive delta-type
marshland.
The Atchafalaya Bay delta will greatly
resemble the delta below Venice whenthe ecological processes have been
completed. It is projected to be two or
three times as large as the area nowsouthwest of Morgan City. This would
make it approximately 300 square miles
or more, and it will contain approximately
192,000 acres.
It is dynamic wildlife habitat in the
making. The sheer beauty of this creation
of nature is that it is already too vast to be
stopped from reaching its potention in
about 50 years. The cost of removing the
new land created by the vagaries of river
currents and sediment eliminates that
possibility. It is now just a matter of time
and the river.
25
H *
******
iWi'
By McFadden Duffy
Photography By Lloyd Poissenot
THE COMMISSION INITIATED ITS WILD TURKEYTRAPPING AND TRANSPLANTING PROGRAM INDECEMBER OF 1962. TRAPPING EXPERIENCE WASLEARNED THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR. BY DECEMBEROF 1975 A TOTAL OF 1,508 TURKEYS HAD BEENTRANSPLANTED TO 93 CAREFULLY PICKED RELEASESITES. OF THE TOTAL 548 WERE GOBBLERS AND 960WERE HEN TURKEYS. TRAPPING OPERATIONS FOR 1976BEGAN IN JANUARY AND THE FIGURES GIVEN WILL BEINCREASED THIS YEAR.
Approximately a dozen years ago the
Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commis-sion decided that it would begin a program
aimed at increasing the number of wild
turkeys in Louisiana. The long range prog-
ram called for building new flocks of tur-
keys in areas where suitable habitat
existed, expanding the areas where tur-
keys could be hunted, and increasing the
season bag limit for hunters. It was an
ambitious program. There were frustrat-
ing days ahead, with much to be learned.
By 1965 progress would be evident. Thedecade that followed can now be looked
back upon as a forward step in wildlife
management.Woven into the fabric of American his-
tory is the story of the wild turkey, North
America's largest game bird. School chil-
dren who today associate the turkey with
bountiful Thanksgiving and Christmasdinners can quickly relate how important
the wild turkey was in the early days of the
American colonists. Huge flocks of tur-
keys spread out across much of the coun-
try were a dietary staple in those early
days when food was not too plentiful andgame was important to survival.
School children may be hazy on their
knowledge of how Cortez, when he ar-
rived in Mexico in the 16th Century, found
the Aztecs had domesticated the large
birds. Children may not know that the
Conquistadors transplanted turkeys to
Spain where they became welcomealiens. By 1530, domesticated turkeys
were ranging in parts of Europe. Later
they were brought back to America andwere the ancestors of holiday season tur-
keys.
In the deep South, as elsewhere in the
country, wild turkey flocks were greatly
reduced between 1890 and 1930. Cer-
tainly a contributing factor was the clear-
ing of bottomland hardwood forests andother land-use practices. In Louisiana
alone the wild turkey population once
A 40x60 net, fired by powder-charged
"cannons," signaled the start of the first
lulls* ale turkey restocking programs in
Louisiana.
numbered about 300,000 birds. They
were plentiful in about 40 of the state's 64
parishes but as habitat was decreased, so
were the large turkey flocks. By 1940, it
was estimated there were only about
1,500 turkeys left.
It is true that these remaining turkeys
were in remote areas and surviving in
spite of the spreading encroachments of
civilization. Just how long they would have
lingered is anyone's guess, but one thing
seems certain. If positive steps were not
taken in the waning weeks of 1962, wild
turkeys would be virtually extinct in
Louisiana today.
The restocking program decided upon
by the commission is a simple one in
theory, that of taking surplus wild turkeys
from existing flocks and transporting them
to areas of suitable habitat where there
are no turkeys present. This has steadily
broadened the wild turkey range in
Louisiana and expanded the areas in
which they may be hunted. Although the
program of restocking turkeys has not
proved as dramatic a success as the deer
stocking program, it is slowly but surely
expanding areas where wild turkeys maybe hunted, and at the same time increas-
ing their populations to provide greater
hunter success.
Opening of 1 1 new areas to limited tur-
key hunting in the spring of 1975 and the
designation during the January meeting of
the commission of additional areas wherehunting will be allowed this spring hasbrought satisfaction to biologists of the
Game Division and additional enthusiasmto turkey hunters. The entire program is
starting to gather impetus and its progres-
sive success can be measured by the newareas that are being opened for hunting.
It is possible that birds taken during the
upcoming spring wild turkey season will
be banded ones. Hunters who takebanded birds are urged to send the bandnumber and the location of the kill to Cliff
Williams, Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries
Commission, P.O. Box 4004, Monroe, La.
71201.Present estimated population of wild
turkeys in the state is well over 15,000birds, even though it is impossible to com-plete an accurate census. To some hun-ters this figure may seem high in light of
the estimated bag each spring; but onehas to take into consideration that the wild
turkey is one of the most difficult birds to
hunt. There are many hunters who have
28
sought wild turkey for years and have yet
to boast of bagging one.
It would be well to turn back the calen-
dar for those 1 2 years and review existing
conditions that confronted biologists
when they undertook the tremendous task
of restocking suitable habitat with wild tur-
keys. When it became obvious at the turn
of the century wild turkey populations
were hitting the skids, it became neces-
sary to close the season on these fine
game birds. Louisiana went through twoperiods of closed turkey hunting.
One was the closed season between1 933- 1 944. This spanned 1 2 years. Therewas no vast improvement in the existing
turkey populations after that long closure.
It was tried again for 6 years during the
period 1949-1954. The last either-sex
season occured in 1 932. It is significant to
note that was the year before the first long
closure of turkey hunting. When the hunt-ing of turkeys was permitted again in
1945, the season was restricted to
gobblers, with a season bag limit of oneturkey. In 1968. the season limit was in-
creased to two gobblers, with a daily baglimit of one. In 1975, the season bag limit
was increased to three gobblers.
Prior to the present method of trapping
wild turkeys, two earlier methods wereused. During the period 1949-1953 while
the hunting season on turkeys wasclosed, approximately 5,000 turkeys werepurchased and released in the state. Theycame primarily from game bird farms in
Alabama, Maryland, Pennsylania andWest Virginia. A total of 2,144 were re-
leased on newly-created refuges and
The cannons go off . . . pulling the net
over turkeys feeding in baited areas.
wildlife management areas. At least
2,400-plus were released in certain
parishes. This proved to be a futile
method of trying to re-establish wild turkey
populations.
A second method involved the importa-
tion of birds from Florida. These were wild
turkeys and trapped in that state. Uponarrival in Louisiana, the birds were re-
leased into suitable habitat. There were148 turkeys in this program. Of the total,
51 were obtained in 1965; 73 werebrought in during 1967; and 24 birds in
1 969. Results were not called totally satis-
factory but subsequent trapping opera-
tions indicated the wild Florida birds fared
better than was originally believed.
As commission biologists look back onthe first years of the turkey trapping prog-
ram they will probably smile wistfully. If
they had only known then what they nowknow. They have learned a great deal
about this delicate matter of trapping the
wariest of wild birds. It will serve the prog-
ram well in the immediate years ahead.
The first turkey trapping efforts met with
little success. Walk-in wire traps wereused. Baited with grain, they only servedto spook turkeys. The birds seemed to
sense that something was wrong. Theywouldn't take the bait. The tally for 1962was two wild turkeys taken. It wasn't apromising start.
In 1 963, there was a break through andenough turkeys were trapped to signal the
start of fullscale operations. A methodwas employed that has become almost
standard to this day. This is use of a can-
non net. It is powered by steel projectiles
charged with black powder. The big can-
non net has proved to be the most efficient
way to trap turkeys.
Crews are sent into likely areas to
search for wild turkey sign. Once an area
is located, it is baited and the turkeys are
allowed to feed freely until they becomeaccustomed to the area. A clearing is
selected for baiting, with all brush andsmall trees removed. A blind is erected at
the site and the turkeys become accus-
tomed to seeing it. When the turkeys start
taking the bait and feeding, the net is
placed in position. It is approximately 40by 60 feet. The propelling rockets are
connected so they will fire simultaneously.
The blinds are manned early in the
morning, long before daylight. Backupcrews are standing by not far away, ready
Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission
biologists find wild turkeys, capture them, bandthem, and then release them at sites selected as
"prime restocking range." During the period
between January 1963 and December 1975, a
total of 1,508 turkeys were put into 93 newareas this way. The restocked number will
increase again this year.
to tag and record biological data of birds
taken in the cannon net. There are special
containers in which to transport the cap-
tive birds to pre-selected release sites.
New research methods are constantly
being tried. One such method is use of a
tranquilizing drug which can be mixed with
wheat or corn and placed at the trap site
prior to the turkeys' arrival in the early
morning hours. The drug has been used
with good results making the birds easy to
handle until they are released.
There are some persons who are al-
ways interested in statistics. In the period
1963-1969, there were 539 turkeys
caught and relocated. During 1970-1971,
the total was 386. For 1 972- 1 974, the total
was 486. There were 97 turkeys taken in
1975. The program is moving alongsmoothly now and hunters can expect ad-
ditional areas to be opened in the im-
mediate years ahead.
POTPOURRIBy Marian Pie Pendley
Though they may not be Number 1 on
the best seller list, diet books are very
popular items today. It seems everyone
is looking for ways to cut down on
calories and yet serve appetizing meals.
Fish is high in protein and low in
calories, so we in Louisiana are fortu-
nate in having such a variety of seafood
to choose from in planning our meals.
Of course, the ideal solution would be
to serve only broiled fish, but even
when the recipe calls for butter sauce or
a stuffing the total calorie count is lower
than in many dishes with rich gravies
and sauces.
TROUT AMANDINE.4 fillets of trout
1 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
Ve tsp. black pepper
Vi cup flour
2 sticks butter
Vi cup chopped almonds
Dip fillets in milk; season with salt andpepper; coat with flour. Melt butter in
skillet and cook fillets, browning evenly
on both sides. Remove fish from skillet.
In same skillet, add slivered almondsand saute. Serve over fillets. Garnish
with lemon wedges and parsley.
CRAYFISH ETOUFFEE1 lb. crayfish tails
Crayfish fat
1 stick oleoVi tbsp. flour
1 onion, chopped fine
1 tbsp. bell pepper, chopped fine
2 pods garlic, chopped fine
Green onion tops, chopped fine
Parsley, chopped fine
Salt, red and black pepper to taste
Melt oleo in skillet. Add flour and stir
until blended. Add onion, bell pepper,and garlic and cook until tender. Addcrayfish fat and cook about 15 minutes,stirring occasionally. Add crayfish tails,
cover, and simmer about 20 minutes.Add seasonings, green onions, andparsley. Cook over low heat until sea-
sonings blend. Serve over rice.
30
SHRIMP SOUFFLE1 Vi tbsps. butter
1 tbsp. curry powder1 tbsp. flour
1 cup milk
1 small onion, choppedV4 cup canned tomato soup
Vi tsp. salt, pepper to taste
1 cup cooked shrimp, cut in pieces
4 eggs, separated
Vi cup cooked rice
Melt butter in pan, add chopped onionand brown lightly. Add curry and stir
well. Sift in flour, stir well, and slowly
add milk, salt, pepper, shrimp, beaten
yolks, and rice. Heat, remove from fire.
Add beaten whites. Pour into greasedsouffle dish. Bake at 350° about 25-35
minutes, or until lightly firm and brownon top. Serve immediately.
BREAM DIPSteam fillets of bream and cool. Mash real
fine. Add:Lea & Perrin sauce
Garlic powderDash of liquid smokeLemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Mayonnaise
Amount of seasonings will depend onamount of fish.
BROILED STUFFED FLOUNDER1 medium onion, minced8 tbsps. butter
2 stalks celery, chopped fine
1 cup shrimp, cleaned and peeled
1 small can mushroomsVi lb. crabmeat1 small bay leaf
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
% cup creamBreadcrumbs
Salt and pepper
3 oz. white wine, plus Vi oz. for basting
2 flounders, 2 to 2Vi lbs. each
2 tbsps. oil
Juice of Vi lemon
Saute the finely chopped onion in but-
ter until soft; add celery and saute 2 or 3
minutes longer. Add shrimp and mush-rooms (with their liquor) and saute until
the shrimp are pink. Then add crabmeat,
bayleaf, Worcestershire, cream, andenough breadcrumbs to hold the dres-
sing together. Season to taste. Add the
wine and stuff the fish. Close the slits
with the aid of small skewers and lace
up. Heat 2 tbsps. oil along with 2 tbsps.
butter in broiler pan, and place the fish
in the pan.Broil the fish slowly under a low flame,
basting with the butter-oil mixture. Asthe fish begins to brown, add a little
more white wine to the broiler pan to
increase basting liquid and keep the fish
moist. It is not necessary to turn the fish.
Keep the flame low and when the top of
the fish is golden brown or slightly
darker, the fish will be cooked through.
Spoon the remaining sauce from the
pan over the fish and sprinkle with
lemon juice. Serves 4.
FISH OF LOUISIANA ILLUSTRATED BY DUANE RAVER, JR.
The freshwater drum, Aplodinotus
grunniens, is probably the only fish in
Louisiana that could be called both musi-cal and lucky.
Musical in that on calm days or even-ings when the fish is near the surface of
the water it can be heard producing a
grunting or drumming noise. Experi-
enced fishermen will recognize the
sound and although it doesn't necessar-
ily help them catch the fish, since it's
hard to locate the source of the sound,they at least know it's there.
The drumming sound is believed bybiologists to be produced by contraction
of muscles against the wall of the fish's
air bladder.
And the drum is also said to be lucky,
at least for those who catch it, and has a
long history of superstitious folklore as-
sociated with its large, extremely hard,and pearl-like ear bones (otoliths). Theseear bones, which have an L-shapedgroove in them, are called "lucky bones"in folklore. They were used, for example,by native American Indians for exchangeand for ceremonial and religious charms.However, in spite of its musical and
magical ability, the freshwater drum is
not the most beautiful fish swimming in
Louisiana's waters nor is it the most de-
sirable sports fish. It has a greatly com-pressed and rather oblong body, a
slightly humped back, a rounded blunt
snout, a small horizontal mouth, and a
rounded or truncate caudal fin. In color
FRESHWATERDRUM
the fish is silvery, somewhat darker
above and lighter below.
The drum will put on a determinedand dogged fight when caught, depend-ing on its weight, but it's not the fierce
and spectacular battler that the bass is.
The drum has a wide distribution. It is
found from the Hudson Bay drainage of
Manitoba and nothern Ontario, from the
Great Lakes (except Lake Superior), east
to Quebec and Lake Champlain andsouth to the Gulf and eastern Mexico andGuatemala. The fish's distribution is
bounded by the Missouri River drainage
on the west and extends almost to the
Atlantic Coast states on the east. It is
found throughout Louisiana.
Although there are over thirty saltwa-
ter species, Aplodinotus grunniens is the
only freshwater member of the drumfamily. It's saltwater relatives in the Sci-
aenidae family include the red drum (red-
fish), spotted seatrout (speckled trout),
and various croakers.
The freshwater drum is found mostcommonly in large rivers and lakes with
the greatest numbers being found in the
shallow areas of the turbid Red and Mis-
sissippi Rivers.
The drum in Louisiana is often caught,sold, and eaten under the colorful local
names of "goo" or "gaspergou." Monet-ary value of the freshwater drum, con-sidering its value as food, sport, etc. hasbeen set by the Louisiana Wildlife andFisheries Commission at 22 cents a
pound.The fish spawn during the spring.
McClane's Standard Fishing Encyclopedia
says the fish spawn over shallow gravel
and sandy stretches of shore. The eggsare broadcast when the water tempera-ture is about 65 to 70 degrees and adhereto pebbles. Hatching takes place in abouttwo weeks after which the young fish
stay in the shallows and feed on smallcrustaceans.
By the end of the first summer the fish
should be four to five inches long. Wherefood is sufficient for normal growth thev
will at ages two, three, four, and five,
reach 8, 11, 13, and 15 inches in length,
respectively. A fish 24 inches in length
should be about 10 years old on the aver-
age. The fish will weigh about onepound at 13 inches and five pounds at 20
inches.
The largest fish caught today weigharound 60 pounds. Ear bones found in
excavated Indian village sites indicate
that some drum may once have grown as
large as 200 pounds.Freshwater drum tend to school and in
the summer are usually found in water
10 to 40 feet deep.
31